A safe return to school in 2022
To ensure the safety of staff, students and school communities, the Independent Education Union Victoria Tasmania calls for the following provisions, safeguards and assurances in non-government educational settings until the risk of COVID transmission is very significantly reduced:
1. Rapid antigen tests and P2 / N95 masks must be made accessible and free for all educational staff.
2. Staff should be required to attend the workplace only to perform tasks requiring their physical presence (including teaching and supervision) and should encouraged to undertake all other duties remotely.
3. Meetings and planning sessions (including on student free days) should be undertaken remotely.
4. Education staff must be given priority access to booster vaccines, regardless of the date they would otherwise be eligible. Access to paid time to access vaccinations should also be provided.
5. There should be no deduction of personal leave for staff who miss work as a result of contracting COVID. It is not reasonable to place an onus on employees to prove that transmission occurred through their work.
6. We oppose the exemption of education staff from isolation rules and call on employers to provide assurances that staff identified as close contacts will not be asked to attend the workplace. Employees who are isolating should do so without deduction of pay or leave entitlements. They may be given appropriate tasks to perform from home.
7. All classrooms and work areas must be assessed for adequate ventilation, with appropriate modifications or installation of filtration devices where required.
8. Teachers must not be expected to teach simultaneously in person and remotely. Additional supports must be provided where some students are learning remotely.
9. Additional support should be provided where necessary to manage contact tracing or deal with student or family compliance issues with COVID regulations – these issues should not add to the workloads of existing staff.
10. Every effort should be made by employers to ensure that staff absences are covered by engaging Casual Relief Teachers and casual support staff.
11. All non-essential programs, events and initiatives with workload or safety implications should be postponed. This includes physical student and staff gatherings such as assemblies and masses.
12. Staff must be consulted frequently through their elected Health and Safety Reps and Union Reps, and staff concerns must be genuinely considered and promptly responded to.
17 January 2022
